20/20: God's Vision For My LifeSample

A Cup of Cold Water

By Sarah Wronko

“If you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded.” Matthew 10:42

It was a cold night, and the first snow of winter rested quietly on the frozen earth. I was 17 years old and about to meet the woman who would alter the course of my life forever. One week prior, a friend of the family had asked me if I’d be interested in a job as an attendant for a very lonely, elderly widow. My responsibilities would include everything from doing laundry, making meals, and organizing her kitchen to just being a friendly presence for her.

At first, I was terrified at the thought. I didn’t have much experience in spending time with the elderly, and I felt like I’d be clumsy and foolish because I didn’t know how to act or what to say. However, I sensed God’s presence in this request, and I knew this was something He wanted me to do.

That night, when Margaret opened her door and eyed me cautiously, I knew God had something wonderful in store for both of us. Over a cup of hot tea, she told me about the things she needed done. As she talked, God began speaking to me about His desires for Margaret—His desire for her to feel loved and cared for and His desire for me to serve her.

Over the course of the next year, I shared God’s love with Margaret when I gave her manicures or as we played solitaire. She asked me to say the blessing at every meal while she quietly sat with tears in her eyes. At Christmas time, Margaret had me make peanut brittle for all her friends followed by the reorganization of her “deep freeze” (refrigerator) for the eighteenth time.

One of Margaret’s favorite things to do was eating out at restaurants, but she hated to eat alone. When I came along, it meant so much to her to simply have a friend she could eat lunch with. On one of our lunch dates, Margaret started asking me about my faith and where my joy came from. Her heart had softened towards me as I served her over the course of that year, and now she wanted to know more about my faith. 

That day, I was able to share with her God’s love and how Jesus came to die for our sins. With tears in her eyes, she told me she wanted to receive Jesus as her Lord and Savior. I will never forget watching Margaret pray and ask Jesus to be the Lord of her life. Her life was changed forever…and so was mine.

Jesus once said, “If you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded” (Matthew 10:42). The Lord used me to bring Margaret a cup of cold water by serving her in the simplest of ways and sharing with her the love of Jesus. She had gone 89 years without ever knowing God’s love, but through simple acts of serving—of loving—Margaret’s heart was softened. She became a daughter of the King, and I learned that serving in God’s kingdom can be as simple as making a meal or giving a manicure to a lonely elderly widow who needs to be loved.

When we serve others, the love of God is released through us. God values the position of a servant as the highest of all positions. In fact, Jesus Himself modeled the life of a servant. He showed His love for others by serving them. Jesus told His disciples, “Whoever wants to be great must become a servant. Whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave. That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not be served—and then to give away his life” (Matthew 20:26–28). Jesus wasn’t all about Himself; He was all about doing the Father’s will.

The great thing about serving others is that it lets you put your love into action. God’s command for us to love others can often seem abstract and difficult to put into context. But when we serve somebody, we practically demonstrate our love…and it ends up working in every area of our lives. God has placed people to serve all around us. And by serving them, we demonstrate the love of God to them. When people encounter God’s love through serving, their hearts can be softened so that He can work in their lives.

There are so many ways we can serve and love those around us. And the beauty of it all is that while we are serving and loving the individuals God places in our path, we are ultimately serving and loving our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. As you go about your day today, ask the Lord how He wants you to serve and love Him by serving and loving those around you. God may lead you to go on a mission trip or do something as simple as bringing a meal to a family or a widow in need. Ask the Lord to open your eyes and show you how you can bring “a cold cup of water” to someone and transform a life forever. 

Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely, and the unwanted according to the graces we have received, and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work…it is not how much we do, but how much love we put in that action.
~ Mother Teresa

Memory Verse

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10